new here have some questions...

[schneider591]

I just signed up this am and have been reading for a few hours and figure its time for my first post.
im in the market for a new dd truck that can still pull my 24ft pontoon boat or a truck on a trailer. I have been a toyota guy for years and have thought about buying a new tacoma it will haul enough and get me around town.
but... I have always loved the look of the old body style fords. and maybe that is the route I should go.
Im thinking a 96-97 250 crew cab 2wd (I have a rock crawler when I need to go 4wheeling)
what should I be looking for when im on my search for my truck?
should I hold out and find a 5speed rig?
Im not looking to haul any huge loads both of my loads are right around 4k. so I dont need to make huge power.
or should I just stick with buying a tacoma double cab.
thanks for your advice

you cant go wrong with a powerstoke, for what you are looking for you can find NICE ones under $8K. the autos are great trans but if you want to upgrade for more horsepower then the trans needs to be upgraded also depending on what you want to do.

[ridiculously_necessary]

for that just about any well cared for psd will do. when test driving, find a reputable mechanic to take a look at the tranny and the front end suspension unless it has an sfa (solid front axel) D60 or whatever.

hold funds back for maintenance, fluid changes, glow plugs and upgraded glow relay, spare cps (seems a bigger problem in the nbs than our obs), and the like. those are all preventative maintenance. give the turbo shaft a wiggle/shake and see how much play there is, this may be a good check for the mechanic as well a compression test for good measure. you might want to do the diy intake and stright pipe exaust, they are cheap imporvements.

these are great trucks, i like Toyota as well but since i got my 95psd, i have never considered another gasser. and i dont pull often!

dont say your not looking for power or mods just yet, you might get the bug!

[cndrm]

Toyota has definitely made some good trucks over the years. I'm not too farmiliar with their newer rigs though. As stated before, if you're just looking for a 2WD, then that REALLY opens up some doors for you. (where are you at?) As for towing, well..........4K pounds, a PSD wouldn't even know there was anything behind it. I doubt you'd even be able to tell a difference in your fuel economy. I towed my VW GTI (3200 lbs) on a tow dolly (650 lbs), and I still got over 20 mpg, and that was before I was using fuel additives.

Solid front axle would be great. I don't know what they used on the F250/350's though. My moms 87 Ford Clubwagon van has a litteral I-beam for a front end. VERY stout. Ate tires up until it had GOOD shocks on it. (Rancho)

Good advice to have a reputible mechanic check a truck out for you, unless you're handy under the hood yourself. Also very good advice to withhold some money for repairs. (these trucks ARE well into their teens, and can have some real personality sometimes ) Opening up both the intake and exhaust I would list as almost necessary. Just to let the engine breath, and be able to work without having to fight the intake and exhaust to do so. (stock intake and exhaust are restrictive poo)

Best of luck, in finding the right truck.

mike

[ridiculously_necessary]

cndrm - are you from Canada? or Maine? i ask because of the conflict i am havign with your name vs location. and that you get 20mpg might suggest your running the Imperial gallon?

[96whitestroker]

idwait for a 5 speed nd just get a chip

[cndrm]

ridiculously_necessary, I'm in Afred, Maine. And no, I'm not running the Imperial Gallon. And to be perfectly honest, 20mpg isn't all that good for me. If I'm driving fairly agressively, then I'll average from 18-20mpg. If I'm good, and keep my foot out of the injectors, I'll usually average about 21-22 in town, and around 25 on the highway.

mike

[ridiculously_necessary]

Originally Posted by cndrm

ridiculously_necessary, I'm in Afred, Maine. And no, I'm not running the Imperial Gallon. And to be perfectly honest, 20mpg isn't all that good for me. If I'm driving fairly agressively, then I'll average from 18-20mpg. If I'm good, and keep my foot out of the injectors, I'll usually average about 21-22 in town, and around 25 on the highway.

mike

wihs i cuold come anywhere near that. i avg abuot 16ish hiway, unloaded. 4.10 gears. maybe it sthe difference in tires?

[cndrm]

It's possible. I have 4.10 gears as well. The thing with tires will be a fine line. Too big=weight and rolling resistance. Too small=increased revolutings, requireing higher engine rpm's to get to a specific speed.

My tires, are 285/75R-16 E-rated, Hankook RT03 MT's. This size equates to a 33"x11.5"-16 tire. Many 33's are 12+ inches wide. Bigger tread patch=more traction, but more grip=more resistance.

Honestly, I don't think the tires make that big of a difference. They might, but it's hard to say. My biggest difference came from using a fuel additive to replace the lost lubricity of ULSD. When I started adding Marvel Mystery Oil to my fuel, I "immediately" picked up 4 mpg. (I was averaging about 16 in town, and 20 on the highway @ 55 w/ cruise control set)

mike

[ridiculously_necessary]

thanks, i might give that a shot. i know a straight pipe and inatke will help as well.